Scientists trekking towards the South Pole of
Inaccessibility were rather surprised to find a bust of Soviet
revolutionary Bolshevik Vladimir Lenin peering across the icy wastelands
towards the former Soviet Empire.

The bust marks the place where an old Soviet base was
established and occupied for a few weeks in 1958. The cabin which
made up the base now lies buried under the ice. Before the Soviet
team left, they fixed a bust of Lenin on the chimney which is now the only
part of the structure visible over the ice.

So, what is the bust made of to resist such a harsh
climate where the temperature plunges to 60 degrees below zero, where
winds blast the surface, and no sun shines for three months out of the
year? Is it metal? Marble? Stone?

Nope. It's plastic.

The Inaccessibility Pole marks the point on
Antarctica that is furthest from the ocean. At 3718 meters above sea-level
it is in the Australian zone and seldom visited. Supposedly, if you
dig down through the ice and into the remains of the cabin, you'll find a
golden visitors book to sign.